“Miriane”: Our bill will allow UOC to take care of the faithful in the army

Bill No 5835 will allow the UOC to take care of its faithful in the army. Photo: Radio Liberty

Bill No 5835 developed by believers will allow the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to take care of its faithful in the army, reports the TG channel of the NGO “Miriane” (“Laity”).

The organization recalled that on May 21, 2021, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the first reading bill No 4626 "On the Service of Military Chaplaincy", introduced by MPs from the factions "Golos", "European Solidarity", "Batkivshchyna" and "Servant of the People", and its Article 7 explicitly prohibits a member of a religious organization whose statute does not meet the requirements of Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations", which obliges the UOC to change its name, to be a chaplain.

This means that if the Law on chaplaincy is adopted, the Ukrainian Orthodox Church will be limited in the right to have its military priests in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and the military parishioners of the UOC will be deprived of pastoral support.

“’Miriane’ are categorically against such discrimination. Our bill No 5835 excludes from Article 12 of the Law of Ukraine "On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations" legal norms obliging the UOC to change its name. This will allow the Ukrainian Orthodox Church to have its priests in the army, and our believers – spiritual care,” says the message.

As reported, bill No 5835 in defence of the UOC was registered in the Verkhovna Rada.

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